Seiya Sanada

Seiya Sanada (真田 聖也, Sanada Seiya) (born January 28, 1988) is a Japanese professional wrestler best known for his work in All Japan Pro Wrestling, where he was the first Gaora TV Champion when he won a tournament, a two-time All Asia Tag Team Champion, and a one-time World Tag Team Champion after winning the 2011 World's Strongest Tag Determination League. Sanada is also known for his time in the Japanese Wrestle-1 and American Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) promotions, performing in the latter as The Great Sanada and becoming a one-time TNA X Division Champion.

Professional wrestling career

All Japan Pro Wrestling (2007–2013)

Sanada was trained by Keiji Mutoh's Mutohjuku school and turned pro on March 13, 2007, in a losing effort teaming with Ryuji Hijikata against Katsuhiko Nakajima and T28. Within a few months into his career, Sanada won his first honor when he teamed with Kensuke Sasaki and Nakajima to win the Samurai! TV Triple Arrow Tournament on May 29, 2007. Following the tournament victory, Sanada spent the next two years in opening match wrestling other up-and-comers and began teaming with Manabu Soya. By 2009, Sanada began moving up the card as he took part in his first Champion Carnival but finished last with no points. Later in the year, Sanada broke up with Soya and briefly teamed up with Osamu Nishimura with the two entering the 2009 World's Strongest Tag Determination League with Sanada even getting a pinfall victory over the tag team champions: Taiyo Kea and Minoru Suzuki but the team's run ended when Sanada suffered the flu and had to withdraw from the tournament.